Early-stage Alzheimer’s disease lasts for many years, and a senior with the disease could live independently until they experience serious cognitive decline. With help from their families, seniors decide if home care or assisted living communities are the best fit. For many elderly people in the country, the decision falls on their adult children. Comparing assisted living and home care shows what to expect with each service.
The Desire to Stay Home
For most families, the dilemma is that the senior loved one wants to stay home. An elderly loved one who just needs assistance with activities of daily life has the option to get home care services. However, if the person isn’t mentally fit and shows significant signs of cognitive decline, they need around-the-clock care. This is a dilemma that families face when trying to do the right thing for an elderly parent.
An in-home caregiver could provide help, but the effects of managing daily care for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease are mentally taxing on everyone. A move to assisted living in Lompoc, CA might present a safer and more appropriate living environment.
The Benefits of Downsizing
Downsizing after retirement helps the retiree and their family in the long run. The sale of the family home generates proceeds that the owner uses in retirement. They don’t face the cost of home maintenance or upkeep, and more affordable housing won’t drain their retirement fund or their Social Security benefits.
If a parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the person is advised to set up a power of attorney for a family member. This gives the loved one the ability to manage the senior’s finances and assets once the owner is no longer lucid and cannot take care of themselves. The proceeds from the home sale might offer an affordable way to pay for at-home care or assisted living housing. The choice is based on the well-being of the parent and the types of services they need.
Better Protection Against Scam Artists
Scammers target the elderly based on their access to the senior, the value of the senior’s assets, and the potential payoff from the scam. By staying in the family home, the senior doesn’t have as much protection against scammers coming to their door unless they live in a gated community. Assisted living communities are gated and secure, and residents won’t fall victim to these criminals because the perpetrators will never get direct access to residents.
Sudden Changes in Care Plans
At-home nursing care is available with a set package of services. The nurse sits with the elderly person, prepares meals, does light housekeeping, and helps with ADLs. Any health services beyond the scope of the package increase the cost of home care. Dementia increases health services to include memory care services and 24-hour monitoring.
The elderly person either has a memory care specialist come to their home, the senior goes to a community offering the services, or they visit a private practitioner. When comparing the cost of services, assisted living might present a more affordable option. The senior pays one monthly fee to live in the community and gets all the services they need.
What If the Senior Falls?
Mobility issues and cognitive defects increase fall risks for the elderly. Home care nurses are alone with the client during their shift. The height and weight of the senior and the nurse determine if the nurse has the strength to lift the client after a fall and help them return to a seated position. This may present further risks, especially if the nurse struggles to lift the senior and causes additional injuries. In assisted living, the communities have a full medical staff, and together, they manage falls and get the resident any emergency care that’s needed.
Confusion, Disorientation, and Wandering
Elderly individuals with dementia become more confused and disoriented as the disease progresses. They are likely to wander off if 24-hour care isn’t provided. Even with the most stringent security measures in the home, there is a risk to these seniors if they stay home. Loved ones often try to provide a safe and secure living environment for their parent, but all it takes is a simple distraction and their parent could wander away from home and get lost.
Affordable Homes for Seniors
At Fountain Square of Lompoc, we offer around-the-clock care for seniors with any form of dementia and provide a safe living environment. Our staff works with families and doctors to create an effective care plan for all residents. Does your loved one have Alzheimer’s disease? Visit our community for a tour today.
